title: Vascular effects of novel adipocytokines: focus on vascular contractility and inflammatory responses.
abstract: Adipose tissue is now regarded as an active endocrine organ which can secrete various cytokines. Adipocyte-derived cytokines are termed adipocytokines (adipocytes+cytokine). Adipocytokines can affect vascular systems to prevent or exacerbate obesity-related vascular complications, including diabetes-related vascular dysfunction, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. However, their basic vascular functions remain to be fully determined. In this manuscript, I summarize our recent findings on the vascular effects of 5 newly identified adipocytokines (omentin, visfatin, nesfatin, vaspin, and chemerin), with a special focus on 1) vascular contractile reactivity, and 2) vascular inflammatory response/injury. These novel adipocytokines may be important future targets for the development of drugs and therapy for treating metabolic vascular disorders.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmacology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Kitasato University, Towada, Aomori 034–8628, Japan. yamawaki@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamawaki
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines